Ways to keep indoor plants healthy

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Ways to keep indoor plants healthy
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If you are about to buy indoor plants online,
choose those that will thrive on the amount of
sunlight your house can provide from a good
nursery like the Mumbai-based Root Bridges which
supports online purchases too. Below are some of
the tips for maintaining healthy indoor plants.
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Place appropriately The plant must not show
signs of infestation or disease before bringing
it indoors as an infested plant can infect other
plants. It should be isolated for a week or two
and then leaves inspected again and do not put it
near your other plants until all infestation is
eliminated. Plants should not be placed in
trouble spots like in between or behind curtains,
near a source of draft, or near radiators,
televisions, and air conditioning ducts.
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Use good-quality potting soil - Good potting soil
(never use regular garden soil in containers)
promotes healthy roots by providing a balance of
proper aeration, nutrition and moisture-holding
capability. Root bridges, a Mumbai-based provider
of indoor plants, carries an excellent selection
of packaged potting soils. Use sterile soil to
provide best nutrients. It also helps minimise
soil-borne diseases.
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Fertilise - Indoor plants also need to be
regularly fertilised by a good fertiliser which
contains a balanced formula of vitamins and amino
acids. To avoid pest problems, it also pays to
use a pest control spray to prevent mites,
earwigs, beetles and white flies from destroying
your plants. Once a plant gets infected, the
infection can spread quickly to other plants near
it which requires pest control. The frequent
watering required by most houseplants makes them
devoid of nutrients which must be replaced by
regular fertilization. Additionally, insects such
as Aphids, Scale and Whiteflies, can be
problematic for indoor plats which should be
regularly inspected for.
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Wash the Leaves-Wash the plant leaves several
times a year to avoid any grime and dust from
sticking and spoiling their beauty. Do not use a
feather duster to clean a house plant because it
can transfect insect eggs from other plants. Use
a hand sprayer and soft cloth to sprinkle water
and wipe the dust and grime off the leaves. Just
like people, clogged pores are not healthy for
plants as it makes it difficult for them to
breathe or respirate.
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Water appropriately  Indoor plants need frequent
and thorough watering. Wet the entire root ball,
and let excess water run out the bottom of the
pot. Don't leave standing water in the catch-tray
for more than a day or two as it can promote root
diseases. Allow the soil to partially dry before
watering again. To check soil moisture, stick
your finger into the top 2 inches of soil. If it
is dry, it's probably time to water. You can also
tell how dry a plant is by lifting the pot. It
will be heavy after watering, lighter as it dries
out. To prevent salts from building up in the
soil, water once every month or two. This is most
easily done by placing the plant in a sink or
taking it outdoors.
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Increase humidity and prevent drafts. Keep plants
away from heater vents, doorways and drafty
windows. Increase humidity by setting plants on
trays layered with small pebbles and filled with
water. Or, place them in naturally humid areas
like kitchens or bathrooms if there is adequate
light. Misting plants increases humidity only
temporarily and is of little help, plus it can
increase chances for foliage diseases.
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Match light with requirement - Houseplants vary
in their light requirements. Some prefer the
strong light found next to a south-facing window.
Others thrive in the soft morning light of an
east-facing window. Distance from the window will
affect light intensity and quality. And to make
matters more complicated, light intensity and
patterns vary with the seasons. All houseplants
do best with some light from outdoors. Too much
light usually turns the foliage dull green to
yellowish, and the leaves may also wilt even if
the plant has plenty of water. If plants are not
getting enough light, they will get leggy and
less compact.
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